Sweeney, Matthew: Hóbagoly (The Snowy Owl in Hungarian)

The Snowy Owl (English)

Over the heads of the firing squad flew a snowy owl, who oohooed twice just before they pulled their triggers and as the woman slumped on her ropes, blood splattering her white dress, the owl landed on her shoulder, oohooed again, and swivelled its big- eyed gaze over all the uniformed men, one of whom raised his rifle but the captain knocked it away while the owl pecked at some blood on the woman’s breast, smearing its own breast feathers, then glared, it seemed, at the transfixed men, before swooping off, barely missing the head of one, making them all turn to watch it glide away, and hear one more oohoo echo through the sky.